JPH0313347A - Liquid jet recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To effectively remove fine ink droplets adhered to an orifice face and to eliminate wiping capacity even if the number of wipings is increased by providing a wiping member capable of being brought into contact with a face disposed with discharge ports of a recording head, and moving it by altering its conveying direction. CONSTITUTION:Four recording heads 1a-1d of a recording heads 1 are provided, for example, corresponding to four color inks, and an orifice face is formed on the lower surface. Nonwoven fabric having excellent liquid absorption capacity is employed as a web 17 for wiping ink mist, dusts, etc., adhered on a belt 6 for conveying a recording sheet and ink adhered to a head orifice face, the web is moved by varying its conveying direction from a web supply roll 35, orifice cleaning rollers 31a-31d in contact with the orifices of the heads 1a-1d and idle rollers 30a-30d arranged in a zigzag manner on the rollers 31a-31d, wound on a belt cleaning roller 29 in contact with the belt 6 attached to a pad plate 41, and then wound on a web winding roll 32.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Industrial application field] The present invention relates to a liquid jet recording device.

[Conventional technology]

2. Description of the Related Art Liquid jet recording devices (inkjet recording devices) that record information such as characters and images by ejecting recording liquid from a recording head are widely known.

This type of device mainly uses paper, plastic sheets, etc. as the recording material, and has the advantage of being low in operating noise and having a simple and inexpensive basic mechanical structure compared to other recording methods. It has been adopted in various fields as a recording/output device for combiators, word processors, etc.

However, in this type of device, recording is performed by directly ejecting recording liquid (hereinafter referred to as ink) from the nozzles of the print head, so the rounding that keeps the ink in a state where it can be ejected at all times is not found in other types of devices. No special consideration is required.

In other words, since the ink remains in the nozzles of the recording head even when recording is being performed, it is necessary to take measures to prevent the O ink in the nozzles from drying out or from deteriorating in quality, such as increasing viscosity due to evaporation. An apparatus is known that has a so-called capping means for covering the orifice of the recording head with a lid during recording to prevent ink from drying or evaporating.

However, in low-humidity environments or during long-term suspension, an increase in the viscosity of the ink cannot be avoided by using only the above-mentioned drying prevention means, so a pump or the like is used in addition to the above-mentioned capping means to increase the pressure inside the nozzle. A recovery mechanism has been used in which the degraded ink is discharged from the orifice.

After this pump discharges ink, the discharged ink adheres to the orifice surface, making it impossible to record (discharge). Therefore, a so-called head cleaning mechanism has been used, in which a fair nozzle, in which a sponge or the like is brought into contact with the orifice surface of the head, blows an air stream toward the orifice surface to blow away the ink.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, the above conventional example had the following technical problems to be solved.

1) In the method of wiping with a sponge, etc., there is a limit to the suction ability of the sponge, so in order to use it repeatedly, it is necessary to squeeze the sponge using the squeezing mechanism of the sponge. Therefore,
As the number of times the sponge is used increases, the liquid absorption capacity decreases, and dirt on the sponge adheres to the orifice surface. It is unreliable because it adheres to the side walls and cannot remove minute ink droplets.

Therefore, the inventors tried a cleaning method using a web-shaped wiping member, but as a result of numerous repeated experiments, it was found that the surface of the wiping member was not properly adjusted to Kv4. It has been found that if cleaning is insufficient, the state of ink ejection during the next printing operation will vary from one ejection port to another.

In view of these technical problems, an object of the present invention is to remove ink liquid adhering to an orifice surface without reducing the wiping ability even if the number of times of wiping increases, and to remove even minute ink droplets. The object of the present invention is to provide a liquid jet recording device that can perform the following steps.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, in a liquid jet recording apparatus that performs recording by ejecting a recording liquid from the ejection ports of a print head onto a recording material, the surface of the print head on which the ejection ports are arranged can be contacted. There is provided a liquid jet recording device characterized by having a wiping member and having means for moving the wiping member by changing the conveying direction of the wiping member.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an overall explanatory diagram of this embodiment.

Here, 1 is the recording head, and 16 dots/- are printed on the bottom surface of the figure.
A total of 3,456 ejection ports are provided at intervals of 216 meters, and recording is performed in twin sequential order over a width of 216 meters.

The recording head is a head that employs a method of ejecting ink using thermal energy, and one or more electrothermal transducers serving as ejection energy generating means correspond to each ejection port and communicate with the ejection port. It is installed in the liquid path. Then, when the recording signal is applied to the electrothermal transducer,
The cough electrothermal converter generates heat and causes a change in state in the ink. This change in state causes a film boiling phenomenon, which generates bubbles, and the expansion and contraction of the bubbles causes ink to be ejected from the ejection port to form flying droplets.

In addition, the recording head L is compatible with four color inks: black, cyan, magenta, and yellow, and is 1 aslb and l, respectively.
There are four nozzles, e and ld.
It is fixedly supported. Note that the recording heads la to 1d
Both have a rectangular parallelepiped shape, and the bottom surface is the orifice surface.

The head unit composed of four recording heads and holes/-2 is movable up and down and in the X1 and X2 directions by a head moving means 24 (not shown).

Reference numeral 3 denotes a cap that is attached to an orifice surface forming a nozzle of the recording head 1 when not recording.

This cap is made of silicone foam, and its elasticity can be used to seal the orifice surface.

4 is an ink tank corresponding to each recording head, and ink is guided to the recording head 1 through an ink supply chain f5.

Ink is supplied using capillary action in the nozzles of the recording head, and the water head of the ink in each ink tank is set a certain distance lower than the nozzle surface. An ink supply pump 37 supplies ink into the head under pressure.

6 is a seamless belt for conveying the recording paper, and has a high resistance layer (about 1003) with a thickness of 50 μm on the surface, and the inner surface is grounded by the idler -2.
The surface of the plate is charged to about 1500V by a charger 12m. The recording paper 27 is injected with a negative charge by the charger 12b, and is conveyed by being electrostatically attracted to the surface of the belt 6. The belt 6 is rotated by a roller 8 connected to a belt drive roller 7 in a direction to move the recording paper 27 in the X1 direction. 9 is an idle roller for pulling the belt; 10 is a tension roller that applies a certain tension to the belt; Reference numeral 11 denotes a pinch roller that presses the recording paper against the belt before and after the charger 12b to strengthen the adsorption. It also has a function of looping within the f-id 13 and improving perpendicularity with the OX direction of the leading edge of the recording paper. The recording paper 27 is fed one by one from the cassette 26 to the paper feeder 16, is pinched by the conveyor 14 and the pinch roller 15, and is led to the registration roller corresponding portion 11 & described above. .

Reference numeral 17 denotes a wiper for wiping off ink mist, mist, etc. that has adhered to the belt 6 and ink that has adhered to the head on-face surface, and is made of a nonwoven fabric with excellent liquid absorption properties. This cross 7'17 is supplied from the cross supply roll 35 to oria eye cleaning rows 231a to 31d and cleaning rows 2311 to 2311, which are brought into contact with the orifices of the heads 1a to 1d.
Idol e arranged in a staggered manner with respect to 31d! -93
The conveying direction of the web moves from 01 to 30d while changing, and the belt 6 applied to the backing plate 41 receives 100, F
The belt cleaning row 229 was brought into contact with a moderate load.
After being wound on the web winding roll 32. This roll 32 is driven by a motor 33 via a reduction gear 34.

With this arrangement, the tension of the sifter nib is optimally maintained for cleaning. In addition, orifice cleaning rollers 31a to 31d and belt cleaning c! −
929 is a cylindrical body having a width of the belt 6 and a substantially concave length, and the backing plate 41 also has a width of the belt 6 and a substantially concave length;
The bottom surface has the shape of a part of the side surface of a cylinder with a large curvature. Reference numeral 18 denotes a paper discharge tray which can be moved in the x, , and x2 directions by a moving means 38 (not shown).

Next, the operation of the liquid ejecting apparatus according to this embodiment configured as described above will be described.

2 to 5 are side views of the head unit and the vicinity of the cap. FIG. 2 shows the state in which the power is OFF, and the orifice surface is covered with a cap to prevent ink from evaporating from the ejection port.

When the power is turned on from this state, the head unit is first lifted by about 11 degrees by the head moving means 24 (FIG. 3).

If there is a recovery signal in this state, the head unit and the paper discharge tray are moved in the X1 direction by the head moving means 24 and the paper discharge tray moving means 38, and the heads l&~ld are moved to the orifice cleaning low two 311, respectively. ~31
It will stop when it comes to the position opposite to d. In this state, the pumps 37a to 37d are driven in the pressurizing mode, and a pressurizing recovery operation is performed to discharge the ink with increased viscosity from the nozzle. / Hatake/C send it at the same speed.

The pump runs for about 0.5ss* and then stops.

Thereafter, the head unit is lowered, and the orifice surface of the head is brought into contact with the orifice cleaning roller. In this state, feed the web by 0.2 s*a as before to wipe off the ink that adheres to the orifice.

Incidentally, while the web 17 is being fed, the belt cleaning row 229 simultaneously wipes away ink mist, dirt, etc. attached to the web 17.

After stopping the feed of the head unit, the head unit is raised, moved in the X2 direction, and after reaching the position shown in FIG. 4, is lowered as shown in FIG. 5 in preparation for recording. At the same time, the paper output tray t-X2
direction and stop at the recording positive scene.

If there is no recovery signal, the head unit is immediately moved from the position shown in FIG. 4 to the position shown in FIG. In this way, the recording operation can be started immediately.

Next, the paper feed motor is turned on, one recording paper 27 in the cassette 26 is picked up by the paper feed W-1-16, and the guide 1
3, conveyance low two 14 and center low two-15
Caught in between. The leading edge of the recording paper 27 is placed in front of the photo sensor just before the registration area.The passage of the leading edge of the recording paper 27 is detected by the photo sensor just before the registration area, and after a predetermined period of time, the paper feed motor is activated by QFF.
do. The excess recording paper 27 fed at this time forms a loop within the space of the chevron guide 13, and the leading edge of the recording paper 27 follows the registration portion, ensuring orthogonality with the transport direction.

Next, the belt motor 8 and the charger 12 are turned on, and the recording paper 27 is guided between the chargers 12b while being pressed against the belt 6 by the pinch roller 11m. The surface of the belt 6 is charged to about 1500 V by the charger 12 and the recording paper 27 is held with a negative charge by the charger 12b, and due to the electrostatic force with the positive charge on the belt surface, The recording paper 27 is attracted to the belt 6. The adhesion becomes more reliable by the pressure contact of the pinch roller 11b after passing through the charger 121i. In synchronization with the activation of the belt motor 8, the feeding of the recording paper 27 is stopped, and each color is recorded from the time when the leading edge of the recording paper reaches each recording head.

The recording paper 27 on which recording has been completed is separated from the belt at the belt drive roller 7 and is discharged to the paper discharge tray 18. After paper ejection is completed, belt motor 8 is turned off.
L, the charger 12 is also turned off.

If the next recording is not performed, the head unit will rise (Fig. 4), the cap unit will be set (Fig. 3), and the bottom of the head unit will be capped (Fig. 2). ), the power is turned off.

When the next page is to be recorded, the paper feed motor is turned ON again, and the same recording sequence for the first page is repeated.

Incidentally, a flowchart of the above operation is shown in FIG.

In this embodiment, as described above, the film-like Kuep 17 functions as a receiving member for the ink discharged from the orifice and as a member for wiping the orifice surface. In particular, since the orifice surface of Kuede 17 is wiped while being wound up by the Kueppu winding sill roll 32, the cleaning surface is always fresh, and even minute ink droplets attached to the orifice surface are reliably wiped. Can be removed.

In addition, this embodiment is used to clean the surface of the belt 60 at the same time as it is used to clean the orifice surface of the Kuep 17t, so there is no need to separately provide a cleaning member for the belt 6, and the cost of the recording apparatus is reduced. It has the effect of being able to be lowered to a lower position/4 points. Note that the recording paper conveying means is not limited to the belt-like structure 6, but may also be a drum-like structure.

In addition, in this embodiment, the head is moved in the vertical direction to bring the orifice surface into contact with the Kuep 17.
As shown in the figure, a lateral guide 51 is provided at the tip of the head, and a pressure spring 52 is provided at the cleaning W-2 to move the head in the lateral direction The orifice surface and the web may be brought into pressure contact with each other in a state where the web is allowed to sink a certain amount.

This configuration eliminates the problem of positioning during cleaning, and even in a full-line head, all discharge ports can be cleaned uniformly and good discharge can be performed.

Further, in this embodiment, as a preferable example, the wiping member is provided below the paper discharge tray 18C), but the wiping member may be provided at other positions of the recording apparatus.

Furthermore, the present invention is most suitably applied to a line temperature system in which the ejection ports are arranged so as to correspond to the entire width of a desired recording area in the main scanning direction, and recording is performed by relatively moving the head and the recording paper in the sub-scanning direction. However, the present invention is also applicable to other types of recording devices, such as a serial certificate, in which the recording head moves in the width direction of the recording material to perform recording.

〔Effect of the invention〕

The liquid jet recording device according to the present invention has a wiping member that can come into contact with the surface on which the ejection ports of the recording head are arranged, and the wiping member is moved by changing its conveying direction. Reliably removes even the smallest ink droplets that adhere to
Furthermore, there is no decrease in the wiping ability due to repeated wiping.

In addition, if the wiping member is brought into contact with the surface of the belt or drum of a belt-shaped or drum-shaped recording paper conveyance means, it is compact and has the function of wiping away ink mist and dust on the conveyance means, and is compact and has MR properties. It is possible to realize a recording device with high performance.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 31 is an overall explanatory diagram of the embodiment of the present invention, FIGS. 2 to 5 are side views of the head unit and mesocampi in FIG. 1 to explain their operations, and FIG. The operation flowchart of the embodiment, FIG. 7, is another example of the method of contact between the orifice surface of the head and the orifice cleaning roller in FIG. 1. l... Recording head, 4... Ink tank, 6...
Belt, 17... Web, 27... Recording paper, 29.
... Belt cleaning roller 31 ... Orifice cleaning roller 32 ... Web winding roll, 35 ... Kuetsu supply roll, 37 ... Bonde,
41... Backing plate, 51... Guide, 52... Pressure spring.

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) A liquid jet recording device that performs recording by ejecting a recording liquid onto a recording material from an ejection port of a print head, which includes a wiping member that can come into contact with the surface on which the ejection port of the print head is arranged. . A liquid jet recording apparatus, comprising means for moving the wiping member by changing the conveying direction of the wiping member. (2) The wiping member is in the form of a film, and a wiping member supplying means for supplying the film-like wiping member, a surface on which the wiping member drawn out from the wiping member supplying means and the discharge port are arranged. 2. The liquid jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a contact means for bringing the wiping members into contact with each other, and a collection means for collecting the wiping member after contact. (3) The liquid jet recording apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a recording paper conveyance means in the form of a belt or a drum, and means for bringing the film-like wiping member into contact with the surface thereof.